President Buhari to address the nation tomorrow by 7am http://www.lindaikejisblog.com/2015/09/president-buhari-to-address-nation.html
Wednesday 30 September 2015
Saturday 26 September 2015
Outrageous Lives Of Female Captives In Boko Haram Camps
Posted on 05:49 by Steve Igbokwe
In the past few months, hundreds of women of different ages have been rescued by government forces from Boko Haram captivity.
As camp after camp of the insurgents is sacked, more and more of the women are released. As they breathe the air of freedom, one common thread can be seen running through them.. They all have harrowing tales of woe to tell.
Some of these women share their stories in this encounter with LEADERSHIP's Kareem Haruna.
Some five months ago, troops of the Nigeria Army had made several rescue operations during raids of camps around Sambisa forest , and of the over 400 of the women that were helped to regain freedom, 214 of them, according to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) data, were found to have been in various stages of pregnancy for unknown Boko Haram ‘husband's."
Just recently, soldiers of the 7 Division of the Nigeria Army had made yet another rescue of women trapped in villages that fell under the captivity of the Boko Haram terrorists. Some of the women, according to some soldiers that took part in the ‘Lafiya Dole’ counter-insurgency operation, were prevented from joining their fleeing neighbours by the attacking Boko Haram terrorists because they also used them as cannon fodder in times of attacks.
Some of the women who were rescued from Bama axis of Borno state, where Boko Haram insurgents were still holding sway before soldiers moved in to tackle them, said they practically lost all their rights and dignity as women during their captivity in the Boko Haram camps.
A mother of four, Fanna Ali, who is in her mid 20s was very economical with the details of her horrific stay under the guard of Boko Haram.
“I have no words to explain what my children and I went through when Boko Haram took over our village and held us there for over four months. Everyday I cried for myself and my children; but the Boko Haram people….they had no mercy at all…..”, said Fanna trailing off in tears.
“We came from Usmanti village”, she said. “Boko Haram had prevented us from leaving when we heard that other residents of various communities around us had left. We were cut off from everything including medical care and good food. We only depended on what was permitted or given to us by Boko Haram terrorists. It was just some weeks ago that the Boko Haram had to flee as the soldiers came. That was how we were lucky to escape too. I have four children for my husband…but I can’t remember their actual birthdays, because I have recently been finding it difficult remembering things like dates. Some of my children were always having running stomachs; some always cried of body pains. I still have back pains and I am here waiting to be given some medications. "
Zara Modu, a woman in her early 30s said she came from Kijelli, a remote village in Konduga local government area. She also has three children. She said,
“Boko Haram have been troubling us in Kijelli so we had to find a way to escape to Konduga through the help of the soldiers.”
She said one of her children has been ill so bad that he urinates blood.
Modu Musa, a 45-year- old villager said she also made it to Konduga from Fadan village alongside other members of her community.
“We have suffered so much in the hands of Boko Haram who had forcefully kept us in Fadan village. Many attempts by most of our community people to escape to Maiduguri was met with terminal punishments like shooting to death or outright slitting of throats like that of animal. They seized our herds of cattle and goats. They dispossessed us of our food and other valuables. We lived in fear until the soldiers finally came. The Boko Haram terrorists had forced many of our people, especially the youth, to join them in whatever they were doing”.
A pregnant woman in her early 30s, who declined mentioning her name, said even if she was to deliver her baby, she would be in fresh dilemma of trying to identify who the real father was.
“Maybe God has destined that I will end up being pregnant for people I don’t know”, said the woman in tears. “I lost my husband to Boko Haram and now I am pregnant for people I never knew…they used women as if we were animals and they gave us crumbs or scraps when they cared to feed us from what they ate…”
Yagana Yurahim, said she became a captive of the Boko Haram for three months after the insurgents had invaded their hamlet near Yale village in Konduga Local Government area, killing some men that refused to follow them to fight soldiers.
“After killing our men and forcing some of our young boys to go, some of them were asked to remain behind and watch over the women and children”, said Yagana, who is in her early 40s.
“Some of the women that attempted running were killed, while others were lucky to escape unhurt. We were all scared of running because the terrorists had warned that they would kill us if we attempt running. They would gather us in a house and one of them would be forcing us to learn how read Quran.”
“Our luck came when the soldiers came attacking. They all abandoned us and fled; that was how the soldiers came in and took us to Maiduguri."
Source: LEADERSHIP
Iran Blames Hajj Tragedy On Saudi Prince.
Posted on 02:53 by Steve Igbokwe
Iran has alleged that the convoy of Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud caused panic among pilgrims which resulted in the stampede that left 725 persons dead and 863 injured.
Insisting that Saudi Arabia must accept responsibility for the tragic incident, the spokesman for Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Keyvan Khosravi, told Iranian news agency that
“Sources revealed that the convoy of Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud caused panic among millions of pilgrims and started the stampede that has so far claimed the lives of 1,300 in Mina, near Mecca, on Thursday.
“The large convoy of Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud, the King’s son and deputy crown prince, that was escorted by over 3,500 security forces, including 200 army men and 150 policemen, sped up the road to go through the pilgrims that were moving towards the site of the ‘Stoning the Devil’ ritual, causing panic among millions of pilgrims who were on the move from the opposite direction and caused the stampede.”
Thursday's stampede was the worst incident to occur in Mecca during the hajj since 1990, when 1,426 pilgrims also lost their lives in a stampede.
Hajj Stampede : See The Nationalities Of The Victims
Posted on 02:33 by Steve Igbokwe
The victims of last Thursday's stampede in Saudi Arabia cut across nationalities. The trouble happened as pilgrims were going to stone the devil
See the breakdown of the victims according to their countries of origin.
Algeria(3 killed, 6 injured); Bangladesh( 4 dead); China (1 dead); Egypt( 8killed, 20 injured); Turkey( 4 dead), Netherlands (1dead); India( 4 dead, 2 injured); Indonesia(3 dead, 1 injured); Iran (131 dead,60 injured); Morocco(87 dead); Nigeria( 8 dead, 6 injured) Oman( 5 injured) ; Pakistan(7 dead) and Sudan (1 dead, 2 injured); Unknown(558 dead, 761injured).
This is the figure as at Friday.
Source: THE NATION
Prominent Northerners Want To Reverse Our Gains - Army
Posted on 01:27 by Steve Igbokwe
The Army said it has detected plans by certain prominent elements from the northeast to scuttle the ongoing war on terror.
Army spokesman Col Sani Usman said that some people were bent on reversing the gains of the fight against the militant group, Boko Haram. He said that the mischief makers were engaging the services of nongovernmental organizations and marabouts to perpetrate their unwholesome plans.
He warned that the Army was aware of those planning to sabotage its efforts and would not hesitate to deal with them.
His words ;
“The Nigerian Army wishes to inform the public and send a very strong warning to some prominent individuals and political groups who hail from Borno State in particular and North-East generally, that there is information of plans by some highly placed individuals and political groups to scuttle the fight against terrorism and insurgency in this country.
“The unscrupulous individuals and their cohorts are determined to reverse the gains made and scuttle our efforts of achieving the Presidential directive to defeat Boko Haram terrorists within three months. They are enlisting the services of some non-governmental organisations in this grand design.
“It has come to our knowledge that they are employing every means to see that our operation does not succeed in order for them to continue to enjoy certain benefits.
“It has been revealed that they are employing the services of marabouts and other unethical means in order to frustrate our efforts and the operations in addition to campaign of calumny.
“We are aware of their clandestine meetings and other diabolical efforts to achieve their nefarious aims. This would not be tolerated.
“Therefore, such individuals and groups should be warned in unmistakable terms that anyone found would be dealt with accordingly.”
Friday 25 September 2015
Hajj : How The Stampede Happened
Posted on 11:25 by Steve Igbokwe
Photo: How Saudi security forces caused the stampede by fencing off walkway & closing the gate http://lindaikeji.blogspot.com/2015/09/photo-how-saudi-security-forces-caused.html
200 Boko Haram Fighters Surrender To Nigerian Troops
Posted on 09:59 by Steve Igbokwe
The Nigerian Army declared on Friday that more than 200 Boko Haram Fighters gave up their arms following the capture of Banki on the border with Cameroun by Nigerian troops.
Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Yusha’u Abubakar told newsmen that after the fall of Banki on Thursday, over 200 insurgents willingly submitted themselves to Nigerian forces.
He said, “I have just received information from our troops about an hour ago that over 200 Boko Haram insurgents surrendered to them.”
Nigeria's military chiefs say they are doing everything possible to achieve President Buhari’s December deadline for the complete defeat of Boko Haram.
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